YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe

I stayed in this hostel for a couple of nights and I can safely say it may not have the historic importance of Dove's Cottage, but it's extremely comfortable and the memories I have of the place are about as fond as of the Lake District itself!

PROS: Excellent location. Very picturesque. The walk into the hostel says it all - the trees, the path and the mountains in the backdrop. The staff are very friendly, and that's just an understatement. They're so helpful, words couldn't describe. I walked up to them with "3 days in this area" and within 5 minutes, 2 of them got together and planned my itn for me! The beds are stable, the rooms are really big and everything is comfortable.

CONS: The self help kitchen is in a different building next door. Not that it's far away, but when you get back to the hostel on a rainy day, you've put your clothes to dry and you want a warm cup of milk, its a pain "dressing up" in sweaters and raincoats just to go and press 30sec on the microwave! Also, the toilets had a distinct stink. I went in October - peak rainy season so it was all musty and the rooms would smell of stale smell from wet clothes.

Overall I give a 5/5. Excellent hostel, very close to the bus stop and even though it's so close to the city centre, you feel you're in a fancy resort far, far away.